Zeppelin, Metallica to Rock Bonnaroo Festival

If youíre a Zep fan, youíve probably been feeling like the legendary band has been toying with your emotions for weeks on end due to rumors of a U.S. tour. You have subsequent insomnia just thinking about the possibility of such an event. You constantly scour Ticketmaster like Charlie looking for the Golden Ticket. You watch old concert footage OnDemand or via the Mothership CD/DVD set. Youíve had Zeppelin-induced hallucinations and dreams about an upcoming tour and wake to find itís just a rumor, which sends you into a deep depression that causes you to get the Led out in a sorry attempt to soothe your broken soul.

Okay, maybe youíre not as bad as I amóer, maybe itís not that badóbut according to Billboard.com, Led Zeppelin will play its first U.S. show since July 24, 1977, this June at the Bonnaroo festival in Manchester, Tenn., according to an email published in industry commentator Bob Lefsetz's newsletter. The report also says Metallica will headline the event.

Speculation about additional shows for Zeppelin, which will play a Dec. 10 tribute show in London to pay homage to late Atlantic founder Ahmet Ertegun, has been buzzing for weeks.

A Bonnaroo spokesperson had no comment on the email. A Led Zeppelin spokesperson could not be reached at deadline.

Summer Zeppelin shows would reportedly conflict with a tour by frontman Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, which is currently being booked, reports Billboard. However, Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones has played at Bonnaroo on several occasions, most recently this summer when he jammed on his old band's songs with Ben Harper and the Roots' ?uestlove.

As for Metallica, Bonnaroo would likely provide a launching pad for the group's next album, expected sometime in 2008 via Elektra.